For the Love of an Uchiha
by eyeofthegoddess
Summary: Sai's world is turned upside down after his eighteenth birthday. Suddenly he has an identity and a strange girl has taken a serious interest in him. Now he has to smooth over his remaining family relations, as well as dodge a very eager female that wants to take advantage of him. Rated M for suggestiveness, and who knows what could happen in future chapters...
1. Sai's Birthday

**This was my entry for the Sai Facebook page's contest for his birthday, which is November 25th. It started out as a one-shot, but then I realized that I opened a can of worms. So now it will be a multi-chapter until I can answer all the different questions that I inadvertently brought up.**

**Thank you very much to Gabriela Romero. She is my super-beta! She has been helping me since _The Flower of Love _and I really appreciate it. She gave me A LOT of helpful hints on this story. If you enjoy this, then you are seeing her work in motion.**

**Thank you also to ReiraKurenai. She helped me fine-tune the second draft of this story. I loved her suggestions on how to make things sound a little better than I originally wrote them.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden or any of their characters. I do own Katie - and she seems to want to own Sai. So there you go! **

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_**Sai's Birthday**_

It started out as any other ordinary day. Sai didn't have a mission to go on, but he still woke up early to train. Team Kakashi had cancelled their normal training routine for the day, so he headed out on his own.

He had to admit that it was lonely training by himself, which was mighty odd for a man that grew up in Root. But he had grown fond of Naruto's enthusiasm, and Sakura's strength. He even missed Kakashi's presence behind the naughty books he always read. The bonds that he was forming with his teammates were getting hard to ignore. It would be impossible to live all alone again without them.

He left the training ground at noon. As he headed home, he noticed the bright, warm sun and the gentle breeze. He decided that he could sit outside and create a beautiful landscape drawing for his bedroom wall. It was funny… when he was in Root, all of his paintings turned out so dark. But now, through his experience with Team Kakashi, he wanted to use brighter colors.

When he approached his apartment, he noticed that the door was open. Sai was always very meticulous. He would have _never _forgotten to close the door, or lock it for that matter. He drew out his tanto and edged toward the entrance … very, very slowly. He didn't take the time to use an ink mouse or snake to check it out for him. He wanted to see for himself who had infiltrated his home. He didn't have any enemies that he knew of, and Konoha was now at peace. Why would someone break into his apartment?

He saw the shadow of the perpetrator creep up against his open door, so he sprang to action. It only took a couple of seconds to grab them from behind, and press his tanto up against their neck.

A high-pitched scream escaped from the perpetrator. _What kind of ninja screams like that? _Sai looked down and found a very unimposing female in his arms.

A female… he noticed… that had a noticeably larger chest than Sakura's. This he noticed because his other arm was wrapped around her soft breasts.

"Sai! You baka! What are you doing to Katie?" Naruto shouted.

Sai looked around. Not only was Naruto there, but Sakura, Hinata, Kakashi and Yamato as well. He then looked back at the young female still in his arms.

She turned her head around and she whispered with a sultry voice, "I'm happy to see you too."

_What does she mean by that?_

But then he noticed that he held her so close that her round ass was pressed up against his crotch.

_What the hell! _He immediately let go of her.

"Katie, I told you not to be that close to the door when we are trying to surprise Sai." Sakura scolded as she came up and led the girl away. Her violet eyes, however, never once peeled themselves from his ebony orbs as she headed across the room.

Sai looked around his apartment. Instead of his art supplies, he saw a cake, a bowl of punch and his favorite tofu displayed on his long table. There was also ramen for Naruto… of course. There were streamers and balloons that were neatly placed beside the nameless paintings that usually adorned his main wall.

"What is this for?" Sai asked.

"It's your birthday!" Naruto announced as he slapped Sai on the back.

Sai froze. "It is?"

"Yep. And this year you are going to celebrate!" Sakura answered as she brought him a cup of punch.

"I'm sorry. I don't understand."

Kakashi approached Sai, and answered him from behind his book, "You see Sai, as long as Danzo was alive, your records were sealed. But now we have access to them. Katie here works for Lady Tsunade in her records room. She told us that today was your birthday."

Sai glanced over at the girl. Well, to be fair, she wasn't just a girl. She was probably Sai's age. She looked slightly familiar, but he just couldn't place her. She was a few inches shorter than him with straight chestnut brown hair that reached halfway down her back. And her sparkling violet eyes seemed to stare right through him. She wore a teal-colored low cut blouse that revealed her voluptuous chest. A short, black mini-skirt complemented the sexy blouse and barely covered that butt that had been pressed up against him just a few minutes ago.

"I see." Sai walked over to his table, noticing the presents that were stacked up behind it.

He set down his cup and turned around. "You brought presents for me?"

"Of course silly, that's what people do on your birthday." Sakura playfully punched him on the shoulder.

_That hurt. _Sometimes Sakura didn't know her own strength.

"Do you want to start by opening your gifts?" Yamato asked.

"I don't know. Is that what normally happens during these occasions?"

"You can do whatever you want Sai. It's your birthday." Hinata's quiet voice answered him from Naruto's side. Hinata and Naruto had started spending a lot of time together. When Naruto wasn't training or on missions, he was usually with Hinata. The poor girl had become a permanent customer at Ichiraku Ramen.

But remembering that brought up the fact that one person was missing. Sakura looked very lonely without him.

"Where is Sasuke?" Sai asked to no one in particular.

Naruto and Sakura started looking very guilty. But Kakashi answered, "Oh… he couldn't make it. Sorry Sai."

Sai knew what that meant. Sasuke didn't want to come. Since he came back, Sasuke had been on probation. Sai was still a part of Team Kakashi. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Sasuke was not happy about their current arrangement.

Hinata then motioned Sai over to his own couch. "Why don't you sit down? We will bring the gifts to you."

It was strange. Sai had never been treated this way. Not only was he surrounded by his friends on the first birthday he ever celebrated, but he was also being treated very special by everyone involved. It was somewhat unnerving.

Then, Katie sat down beside Sai. No one else did. To be fair, it was a two-seater black leather couch, and Sai was sitting in the middle of it. Katie sat to his right, and due to the lack of space, she was pressed up against him.

She was softer than any kunoichi he had ever encountered. She looked over at him and her full lips tugged upwards slightly.

Naruto barreled over with a small box. "Here, open mine!"

Sai opened the gift, and not to his surprise, it was a coupon for Ichiraku ramen. He shifted his eyes up toward the over-eager blond. "Naruto, this seems more like a gift for you."

"I know. But I didn't know what to get you. And who doesn't like ramen?"

Sai shook his head, but gave Naruto his famous fake smile anyway. "Thank you, Dickless."

Hinata looked like she was going to faint. But before she could hit the floor, Katie turned to Sai with a curious expression. "I didn't know you knew that much about your male friend."

"What are you inferring?" Naruto shouted.

Katie smiled, but her focus never left Sai. "Don't worry Naruto. I don't really care." She gave Sai a devilish grin as she addressed him. "You could never be called Dickless."

"How would you know?" Naruto asked.

"Oh … I just know." Katie gave Sai a playful blink.

Then… Hinata promptly hit the floor.

Sai started to scoot away from Katie, but then she placed her manicured hand on his knee. "Oh my. I'm sorry. Was that inappropriate?"

She tried to look innocent, but even Sai could see through that façade. Her fake smile was worse than his.

And … he stared as her pink fingertips splayed across his knee. He swallowed and gently moved her hand back to her own lap.

"I guess we should have warned Hinata beforehand." Sakura observed as Hinata started coming to. "And Katie, get your mind out of Sai's pants."

Katie just smiled as her hand found its way back to Sai's knee.

Before Sai could do anything about Katie's wandering hand, Kakashi walked up to Sai. "Here is my present."

Again, it was a relatively small, square gift. Sai opened it up. It was a copy of _Icha Icha Tactics_.

Sai tilted his head toward Kakashi with his mouth open. He didn't even have a good response.

"I heard you like books. And you might need this one coming up."

"Huh?" _What does he mean I will need this?_

Sai could feel Katie's hand moving up his thigh. "I could highlight the areas that you will need to concentrate on." Katie purred in his ear.

He turned to face her. "Why would I want you to deface my book?"

Katie groaned out loud and removed her hand from his leg.

Sakura came up with her present next. Again, it was another small rectangular gift.

This time it was a book titled, _Talking to Girls for Bakas_.

"Is there something that you are trying to tell me, Ugly?"

Sakura wanted to punch him. But it was his birthday, so instead her eye twitched and she swung her fists behind her. "There certainly is! And it starts with the fact that you don't go around calling girls ugly!" Then she stomped back to his kitchen.

Hinata timidly approached Sai. She handed Sai a larger box. Inside was a sketchbook. It was very similar to the one that Shin gave him so many years ago. Only this one had a faint scent of lavender to it.

"You were done with the other one. I-I thought you could start one with your new team in it."

Sai flipped through the book. The memories of Shin flew through his mind, and his chin quivered slightly. But he wasn't going to let his newfound emotions get the best of him. "Thank you Hinata. That was very kind."

Lastly, Yamato came up with his present.

Sai opened it, and it was a small wooden box. Inside were compartments for his ink, brushes and pencils.

"I thought it might help you protect your instruments while we're on missions."

Sai nodded as the fingertip of his index finger brushed over the smooth, polished cherrywood. Sai was impressed at this piece of woodwork. It was sleek, sturdy and stunning. The box itself was almost a piece of art.

Sakura came back with a plate of tofu for Sai. Sai glanced upwards. "Did you make this?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, Hinata did."

Katie eagerly interrupted. "I made the cake!"

Sai kept his glance toward Sakura. "So what did you make?"

"Nothing. Naruto said it wasn't necessary."

"Oh. That's good," Sai said as he dug into his food.

The vein on Sakura's forehead visibly throbbed as she stomped off.

"Katie brought your final present. Why don't you give it to him?" Kakashi handed Katie a manila folder.

For the first time since Sai laid eyes on her, she seemed unsure of herself. She immediately looked away from him and bit her lower lip.

"Um… for your birthday, I wanted to give you a last name." She fidgeted as she tried to regain eye contact.

His whole body became stiff. Sai sat up and his eyes widened as he asked, "You made one up?"

"No." She shook her head and her focus was back on the folder instead of Sai.

"Then what do you mean?"

"I know what your last name is."

Sai stopped breathing.

After a few seconds, Katie turned back to him. "Don't you want to know what it is?"

Sai was overwhelmed. He had a pain in his chest, even though he wasn't wounded. It was almost as intense as the time he saw his brother again in the war.

"No. I don't think that will be necessary." Sai casually sat his plate down, rose from the couch and headed toward his bedroom.

He could feel the eyes of his friends follow him as he left. But he didn't turn around to acknowledge them. He didn't know what to say.

He closed the door behind him. He realized it was rude to leave his guests like that. But he was having enough trouble digesting this new information. Emotions, he realized, were more complicated than he could have ever imagined.

He had an identity. For the first time in his life, he would know who he really was. Did he want to know? How will this end up changing him? He sat down on his bed and placed his head in his hands.

He could hear his guests leave his apartment. One by one, they said their goodbyes and the door opened and closed several times.

_What a relief. I don't want to hear about anything in that file. And I certainly don't want to see it in front of everyone._

The relief didn't last too long. He heard a faint knocking on his bedroom door. It was such a quiet knock. It had to be Hinata … or …

_It's not Hinata. I don't hear Naruto. He wouldn't have left her behind._

"Sai, can I come in, please?"

It was Katie.

"I'd prefer that you don't."

Then the door opened.

She was smiling. Under her arm was the manila folder, and in her hand was a plate with a piece of cake and a fork.

When Sai gave her a curious look, she said, "I'm not limited by your preferences."

"It's my apartment." Sai stated dryly.

Katie blinked. "Okay." His statement didn't faze her in the slightest.

She sat down next to him and handed him the cake.

"Are you trying to poison me?"

"Nope. I'm a good cook. Try it."

Sai hesitantly sunk his fork into the dessert. He remembered his experience with Sakura's cooking. He stuck the cake in his mouth, and to his surprise, it was quite good.

He nodded his head, swallowed, and said, "Thank you."

Katie's full lips stretched into an easy grin. "You're welcome. I'm glad you like it."

"Why are you doing this for me? I don't even know you."

"Ah, but I know you. I have noticed you around the office for quite some time."

Sai straightened. "How?"

Katie's grin grew devilish. "Do you think ninjas are the only ones with reconnaissance skills?"

Sai leaned over and placed the plate with the half eaten cake on his nightstand. "Hmm… I guess not."

"And how could I not notice you with that outfit of yours?"

Sai looked down. "My uniform?"

"Or what there is of it." Katie leaned in close to him. "Let me ask you something. You have nicknames for all of your friends. So what is your nickname?"

Sai shuddered. The girl had no personal space boundaries. And her constant touching was causing his body to go on auto pilot.

"I don't think they have given me a nickname yet."

Katie laughed. "Well, we can fix that. If Naruto is _Dickless_, then what does that make you? Super Schlong?"

Sai cleared his throat and reached up to loosen his collar. "I don't think you know me well enough to call me that."

Her eyes glowed as she reached out for his knee again. "I'd like to fix that."

_Is the room getting warmer? Why is it suddenly hard to breathe?_

Katie's movements were those of a feral cat. Her fingernails grazed the lower seam of his shirt. "Fine. If that doesn't work, how about Wonder Abs?"

"Do you have a fixation on my uniform?" Sai asked.

Katie's Cheshire cat smile frightened him a little. "I have absolutely no interest in your uniform. Except for getting you out of it."

Sai's eyes darted from one side of his room to the other. They were in his bedroom, and this strange girl seemed to want to get better acquainted with his penis.

And his friends intentionally left him alone with her!

He could feel his heart beating against his chest. "I would like to change the subject."

"That's good. Because there is something I would like to discuss." Katie pulled the folder out from behind her. With everything going on, Sai didn't even notice that she had placed it to her side.

His eyes widened as he finally accepted it from her. He had to admit that he was curious about its contents. And he was somewhat grateful that he didn't have to look at it in front of everyone at the party. But he would have to look at it in front of a total stranger. He didn't know how he felt about that.

He opened up the folder, and the first thing he saw was a picture of a baby. He looked up with a confused expression.

"You. It's you." She whispered.

His gaze returned to the folder and behind the baby picture were photographs of an older male and female. The female looked a lot like Sai, but she wasn't pale. The male had dark hair and a very grim look on his face.

"Your parents," Katie asserted.

"Who are they?"

"Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha."

Sai blinked, but didn't say a word.

"Sasuke's parents," Katie confirmed.

Sai stiffened, but still didn't say anything.

"They were told that you died the day after your birth. You were so pale when you were born, that they thought you were sick. Danzo convinced the Doctor to tell them you died, so that he could raise you himself."

He wasn't breathing. The room started to spin.

"He probably planned on killing the Uchiha clan all along. He knew that he would have to have one under his charge beforehand."

Sai stared at the wood paneled wall in front of him. "Does Sasuke know?"

Katie nodded.

"He didn't come today. Am I to assume that he wasn't very happy with the news?"

Katie folded her arms and crossed her legs away from Sai. "I honestly don't know what he's thinking."

"Mmhmm," Sai muttered through his clenched jaw. He knew exactly what Sasuke was thinking. Sai was the brother that Sasuke never wanted.

Katie turned to face Sai directly. "He would be lucky to have you as a brother. And after what happened with Itachi, I would've thought he would welcome a live member of the Uchiha clan with open arms."

"Hmm. You don't know Sasuke, do you? He has never been the open arms type."

Katie's lips tugged upwards. "_You_ have never known him to be the open arms type. He was."

Sai quirked an eyebrow up at her.

"He was before his family was killed," she noted.

"How do you know that?" Sai asked.

"I've seen his file. There are pictures of him hugging his mother and Itachi in there. He seemed like a happy kid according to his younger pictures and documentation from his teachers in the academy."

Sai's focus returned to the photograph of his parents. He pressed his lips tightly together as he tried to imagine the life that was taken away from him.

Sasuke… his little brother. What would it have been like to grow up with him? And what would it have been like to watch their older brother murder their entire clan? Would he have grown vengeful like Sasuke? Or would he have tried to protect the rest of the village like Itachi did?

Or would he have been killed with the rest of the clan?

He closed his eyes and clenched his fists. He would never know. Danzo could have possibly saved his life. But at what cost? He lived while everyone else in his family died.

His focus returned to the file and found that behind the pictures was his birth certificate. There in black and white it showed his birth name. Uchiha Sai.

There was no mistaking it, or denying it. The certificate was even certified by the Hokage himself - Naruto's father. And there was no death certificate in the file. For a baby that presumably died shortly after birth, that was a glaring error in record keeping.

Sai shook his head and closed his eyes. He didn't like the fact that emotions were trying to take over. Now he realized why Danzo demanded that he keep them buried.

But the last thing in the file threatened to push him over the edge. It was another photograph.

The photograph was of him and Shin.

The picture showed Shin handing Sai his bowl when Shin thought no one was looking. The joke was obviously on him. He was being photographed instead.

The two boys were about five and were dirty and beaten from the day's training. Each day the boys would get their rations of food. But it never seemed like enough. They were starving, but were told to make do.

This was one of the first interactions he had with Shin. Danzo must have noticed and put the two of them together after observing their relationship.

The bond that Danzo intended to sever… right from the very start.

Sai couldn't stop staring at the picture. He was frozen. He clutched onto it with one hand, and pressed the manila folder up against his chest.

If he could have become paler, he would have. Looking at the picture of Shin was like seeing a ghost. And he had already been through enough of that experience with Shin's edo tensei appearance.

Beside him, Sai could feel Katie scoot closer to him. Then he felt her delicate fingers wrap around the muscles of his upper arm. She held his arm with both hands and tucked her chin over his shoulder. Sai knew that she was looking at the picture too, trying to see it in the same way he was seeing it.

"You two were very cute back then." Katie observed.

"Mmm," was his only response.

"That picture is pretty important to you, isn't it?"

"More important than anything else." Sai placed it safely back in the manila folder.

"Then can I buy you a frame for it. You know, as a real birthday present?"

Sai's lips turned upwards slightly as he looked her in the eyes. "That would be nice."

Sai stood up and placed the manila folder beside the plate of unfinished cake on his nightstand. He then decided to pick up the plate and finish the dessert.

"What did you have planned for the rest of the day?" Katie asked as she stood beside him.

Sai thought about it while he chewed. He swallowed and answered, "Mmm. I had originally thought about going out and drawing a landscape."

"That sounds nice. It's a beautiful day."

"What about you? What were you going to do today?"

Katie cocked her head toward his bedroom doorway. "I thought the party would last longer. This is all I had planned."

Sai nodded. "I'm sorry I ruined it for you."

"Pffttt… It's your birthday. You could do whatever you wanted. Besides, we all knew it was a gamble giving you the folder today. Perhaps I should have waited?"

Sai shook his head. "No. I would have had the same reaction no matter when you gave it to me." He returned the, now empty, cake plate to his nightstand.

Katie observed Sai and his demeanor, then she uttered, "I guess you would rather be alone. I should leave."

She took a couple of steps, but then Sai said, "Wait."

She stopped mid-stride and turned her head. "Yes?"

"Will I ever see you again?"

Her smile returned. "Of course. Whenever you want." She took a step closer to him. "Besides, I have to come back with your picture frame."

"I see." Sai took a step closer to her. "Do you think I could go with you to pick it out?"

Katie giggled. "Certainly. But why? Are you that picky about the frame?"

His hands were sweating through his gloves. "No. It's not that." He took a deep breath. "I just thought it might be fun."

"Oh… it could be…" Katie reached out for his hand. In response, Sai just stared at her gesture.

"Give me your hand." Her eyes looked up at him expectantly.

He returned her gaze. "Do people normally hold hands when they go to the store?"

Her smile was warm, and her aura had started to invade his senses. "They do if they're interested in one another."

He quirked an eyebrow up at her. "Are you saying that you want to create a bond with me?"

She giggled again. "A bond? Well, we could certainly start with that." She closed the distance between them and placed her hand in his.

Her hand was softer than anything he had ever felt. It was obvious that the woman had been spared from the years of ninja training that was completely normal for his circle of friends. And the sensation of being touched was beyond his imagination. It was one thing to have friends, but this tiny bit of affection from the new girl was throwing his system into overdrive.

Sai picked up his new sketchbook and some of his pencils before leaving his apartment.

She led him around town, and it was clear that she was proud as a peacock at the fact that she was holding hands with him. It was weird for Sai. No one had ever taken such an interest in him before.

She talked and she laughed. She was such a stark contrast to his trained personality. But it was also very comforting. She was more like Naruto and Sakura, and that put him at ease. He didn't have to do the talking. All he had to do was listen. That suited him much better.

She explained that she was raised by a single mother. But her mom had died a few years back. So Tsunade took her in and gave her the job in the records room. Katie was too soft to ever be a kunoichi, so it was the best decision at the time.

But during her time in the records room, she found out a lot about the different male ninjas. And out of all of them, Sai fascinated her the most.

So when his file came over from Root after Danzo died, she made it her purpose to find out exactly who the mysterious ninja really was. If not for her sake… at least for his.

They made it to the store in 15 minutes. Katie picked out a fancy black lacquer frame. It wouldn't have been Sai's first choice, but he didn't seem to mind it. He liked seeing her so happy to be buying him his present.

After the store, they walked hand in hand to the park. They found a bench and sat down side by side. He used one of his charcoal pencils to draw a picture of Katie sitting below a cherry blossom tree in his new sketchbook.

When she saw the completed picture, she kissed him on the cheek and intentionally ran her hand through his silky black locks.

Sai blushed despite himself.

Afterwards, she leaned her head against his shoulder and placed her hand over his. Both of their hands were sitting on his lap.

He remembered seeing Naruto with Hinata. Naruto was different with her. She had a calming influence on him. Even so, Naruto always had a genuine smile when he was in Hinata's presence.

Now Sai could kind of see what caused his over-exuberant friend to act that way. It was flattering to be around someone that thought so much of you. It was also nice to receive physical affection from an attractive female.

He was happy. It was the first birthday that he was aware of, and all in all, it turned out very well.

He had created a new bond, received a picture of his brother, and gained a last name as well as some perverted nicknames. What could be better?

Well… Katie getting better acquainted with his penis could possibly be better. But he was going to keep that to himself for the moment. He hoped that she would be gentle when the time came.

She still scared him a little. She appeared from out of nowhere, and had an insatiable crush on him. But yet, she was also soft and kind. It was a nice feeling to have her so close.

The little girl with the violet eyes had already captured a piece of his heart. She was strong in spirit, but frail in body. She was his opposite, and for some reason, he found that appealing.

In the midst of his reverie, Sai felt a shadow cast upon him. He looked up and found the person that was causing the sudden darkness.

"Hello Sasuke."

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**Yep - Next chapter should be good times for Sai. No one wants to face an angry Sasuke. I wonder how Katie will react... I can bet she isn't going to make things any easier for those two. lol**

**Katie is from my novel, _Indulgence_:**

**(See my author page for link. Links obviously don't work in actual stories.)**

**In _Indulgence, _Sai is transported into the real world as Lance. So I thought it was only fair to do the same thing to Katie and have her fend for herself in the Narutoverse. Let me know how I succeed in this endeavor! :)**

**As always - reviews are well loved!**


	2. Welcome to the Family

**Here we go! Sasuke isn't too happy about the news of another big brother. After all, he didn't have a lot of luck with the last one!**

**Thank you very much to my beta, ReiraKurenai. She is helping me with my writing, as well as giving me some great ideas for future chapters.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden or any of their characters. I do own Katie - and she will own Sai someday. Just give her time! :) **

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_**Welcome to the Family**_

Sasuke didn't have to say a single word. It didn't take a sensory ninja to feel the negative vibes emanating from him. And he glared down at Sai with venom in his pitch-dark eyes.

"I'm assuming that you didn't come here to wish me a happy birthday," Sai stated flatly.

"Hn," was Sasuke's only response.

"Or welcome to the family."

Sasuke's whole body twitched after that statement. But his eyes never left Sai's.

Sai's ebony orbs locked with his brother's. "If you have nothing to say, then why did you come?"

"I had to take a look for myself."

"A look at what?"

Sasuke shifted away from Sai. "Sakura always said you looked like me." Then he turned his back on Sai. "I don't see it."

Sai was somewhat relieved that the confrontation was over. But… his relief didn't last long.

Katie stood straight up. "Of course you don't see it. Sai is much better looking than you are!"

Sasuke chuckled, but didn't turn back around.

"He's your older brother, you rat bastard! What about that is so hard to accept?"

Sai stood next to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Please stop. I don't need Sasuke's approval… or acceptance."

Katie turned to him with a sad look in her eyes. "How can you say that? Who doesn't want to be accepted by their own family?"

Sai shook his head. "It's a family that I never knew." He took a deep breath. "And I don't feel the need to get to know this particular member of it now."

Katie hung her head in defeat. She was disappointed that this was turning out so badly for Sai. He took his hand and tilted her chin upward gently so that she would face him again. "Don't worry about it. Sasuke and I have a history. We can't erase everything that we have been through in one day."

Sasuke had been standing there listening. He hadn't turned to face them again, but that didn't stop his curiosity from finding out what was going on between Sai and this girl he had never met.

"Why don't you listen to him? This is none of your business anyway," Sasuke called out from over his shoulder.

Katie straightened up immediately. "None of my business? I care about Sai, even if you don't. And I can't for the life of me figure out why you don't want to get to know the last remaining Uchiha… besides yourself."

Sasuke turned around and glared at her.

She placed her hands on her hips, faced Sasuke head on, and taunted, "What are you afraid of, King of the Uchiha? Are you afraid that your big brother will unseat you somehow?"

"That would be impossible," Sasuke asserted.

Katie raised her eyebrows. "Would it? He's the older brother."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I would appreciate it if you stopped saying that."

"Saying what? _Older brother_?"

Sasuke twitched again. "I had an older brother. And that's… not… HIM!"

"A bit touchy, aren't we?"

At that moment, Sai grabbed Katie by the shoulders. "This isn't necessary. Let him go. I don't need him."

Katie pushed Sai away and stepped closer to Sasuke. "You had always wanted to rebuild the Uchiha clan. Are you afraid that we might do it first?"

Sasuke grunted, "You have a big mouth for a little girl. It will get you into trouble."

"And that is meant to scare me?" Now, not only were her hands on her hips, but she was leaning forward defiantly at the angry Uchiha in front of her.

"Sharingan!" Sasuke's red eyes glared at her with killer intent.

Katie just stood there and stared him down.

Sai looked at her in disbelief. She didn't look like she was suffering from Sasuke's genjutsu. He waved his hand in front of her eyes, but she batted it away.

"Is that all you've got big man? If so, I'm terribly disappointed."

"Not quite, big mouth. Chidori!"

Sai could hear the loud squeaking noise of Sasuke's lightning technique. He wasn't facing Sasuke directly, to avoid the Sharingan. But he put his body in front of Katie's to protect her. He saw her eyes widen before he felt the impact.

As Sai was losing consciousness, Sasuke grabbed him by the hair and tilted his head up. Sai didn't even remember seeing the red eyes. The next thing he knew, Sai was inside Sasuke's genjutsu.

It was dark… and cold. Everything around him was totally without feeling. He thought he knew what it was like to be devoid of emotions, but this feeling was 10 times worse. It was a numb feeling. A feeling of not even being alive.

Sasuke was standing there, and he wasn't making a move to torture him or stab him. He just stepped aside and said, "You want to be an Uchiha? Well, let me show you what it feels like to be an Uchiha. Welcome to the family."

A second later, Sai was witnessing firsthand the Uchiha massacre. One by one, he could see each one getting killed, and he could feel their pain at the brink of death. As every sword and shuriken pierced through their bodies, he felt all the intense sensations. It was burning, stinging and slicing him all over. And he couldn't escape from it.

It was horrific. One person after the other being senselessly massacred. The sight of it was nauseating. But the corresponding blinding pain was knocking him over the edge into insanity.

He then saw a younger Sasuke clutching his head and screaming, and he realized that this must have been shown to Sasuke as well, by Itachi himself. Sai could feel Sasuke's emotions as each and every one of his family members was murdered. It was almost more painful than the physical pain of death that he was also feeling, over, and over, and over.

Emotions overlapping with physical pain. It was unbearable. He couldn't watch anymore. He couldn't feel anymore. And he couldn't respond to it anymore.

Then he could see Itachi's face as he stood over Sasuke. It lacked any trace of emotion. He had caused all this destruction of life and familial love, and as far as he could see, Itachi showed no remorse. There was an ache in his heart that Sai could only imagine came from how Sasuke felt. This new pain was 1000 times worse than the others. This pain stemmed from utter betrayal and severe disappointment. In a matter of minutes, Sasuke's hero had turned into his worst enemy.

That, Sai realized, was Sasuke's strongest bond. And it had been obliterated in such a tragic way. From witnessing the depth of Sasuke's misery firsthand, Sai was gaining a better understanding of what created the man that Sasuke had become.

Sai was finding it hard to breathe. He just wanted to collapse so that the nightmare would end. But he knew that in the genjutsu, collapsing was not an option.

Sai felt a sharp pain in his neck, and he looked around for which Uchiha member had experienced their death in that manner. But then he noticed his surroundings. He was no longer in the dark genjutsu world. It appeared that he was back to reality.

That didn't put him at ease. It could still be Sasuke messing with his mind. He lifted his hands, and he couldn't see them. He moved his fingers, and only saw the grass that was beneath him.

_What kind of genjutsu is this? _He tried to shout out, "Sa-", but a hand cupped itself over his mouth before he could get the whole name out.

"He's still around. Keep quiet." It was Katie's voice, but he couldn't see her.

"I'm not afraid of him." But then the pain in Sai's back flared from where he was struck with the chidori. He started coughing up blood, but was amazed at the fact that he couldn't see that either. He could feel the wetness of it, but his hand and the liquid were definitely not showing.

"I know you're not afraid of him. But engaging in a genjutsu battle, when your Sharingan still isn't activated, may not be such a great idea." Katie whispered in his ear.

"Why did you taunt him? Didn't you think he would react?" Sai asked.

"I was counting on it. I just didn't count on you getting in the way."

Sai tried to straighten up. He was leaning against a tree. But the movement caused him to cringe and stay in his previous position.

Katie grasped his hand. "Why did you get in front of me? I had him!"

Sai closed his eyes. "I didn't want to watch you die."

"Die? Sasuke wasn't trying to kill me. He wanted to shock me a little. But I had a surprise for him… before you got in between us."

"Surprise? Are you trying to kill Sasuke?"

Katie giggled quietly. "No. Absolutely not. But all Sasuke understands is power. And … he has no idea about mine yet."

"Besides your _Sexy no Jutsu_?"

Katie laughed under her breath. "I'm flattered that you think I have a _Sexy no Jutsu_. But no. I will leave that to Sasuke's flat-chested girlfriend to show him."

"Ugly's going to beat you senseless for that comment."

"No doubt," Katie said.

Sai looked around. He couldn't see himself, Katie … or Sasuke for that matter. But he could feel Katie, especially the hand that was holding his. She was definitely there.

"Why are we invisible?"

He could feel Katie let go of him and stand up. He heard the sound of leaves crunch underneath her feet. A few seconds later, she shimmered into sight.

He looked down at his gloved hands. He was visible too.

"That's an interesting jutsu. Where did you learn it?" Sai asked.

"Don't worry about that now. Let's get Sakura to heal your back first." Katie offered her hand to help him up.

At first he was too proud. But after a few seconds of trying to get up on his own, he accepted her hand.

"That chidori hurts like a bitch, doesn't it?"

"Like you would know," Sai answered.

"I know more than you think," Katie said with an evil smile.

"Did you get me out of the genjutsu too?"

"Yeah … sorry about the neck. And don't try to use your chakra for a while."

"Great," Sai muttered as he stumbled alongside of Katie. "It's not like I would need it with an angry shinobi looking for me."

"Would you rather still be in his genjutsu?" Katie teased.

Sai shuddered. "No. Absolutely not."

Katie grasped his hand. "Well then, why don't you start with thank you?"

"Thank you? Being close to you is going to get me killed."

Katie giggled. "No, but being a ninja threatens your life every day. So it would be better to stay with me if you're afraid of getting killed."

Sai was still struggling to keep up with Katie's pace. But his ego refused to let him admit it to her. "I'm not afraid of getting killed. But I am afraid of you. What do you plan to do to me?"

Katie peered out to the busy main street of Konoha. "A better question would be…. What do I _not _plan to do to you?"

Sai looked over to see that her Cheshire cat grin had returned. But he was in too much pain to argue. At this point, she could do anything to him as long as she got the pain to stop.

Katie sensed his thoughts. "Don't worry. I won't do anything to you until Sakura fixes you up. I need you at 100% for what I have in mind. And judging by your posture and staggered movements, you're a real mess right now."

He quirked up an eyebrow at her. "No kidding."

"No need to be pissy. We will be at the hospital in another minute." They were already on the main street, and everyone that they passed by couldn't help but stare at Sai. Not only was his body hunched over, and he was almost tripping over his own feet, but there was quite a large burn mark on the back of his uniform and across the exposed skin on his back. He looked like he just got back from battle.

And … that's how he felt.

He was going to get Katie back for stirring the pot with Sasuke. Perhaps he would start with tying her to the bed.

_Oh shit… she's really gotten to me! I'm in pain and that was the first thought that crossed my mind?_

He glanced over at Katie. She still seemed proud to be walking down the street holding his hand, even in his current condition.

He let out a deep breath, even though it hurt him to do so. _This breasty girl is going to be the death of me. If I was thinking with my head, I would run away as quickly as possible. I can't understand why I'm suddenly unable to use logic when I'm around her._

Sai shook his head to clear his mind. He looked up and noticed that they finally made it to the hospital. Sakura was on the second floor, and when she saw what condition Sai was in, she dropped her station duty and rushed him to an open room.

"How did this happen?" Sakura asked as she laid Sai down on his side.

He cringed as she prodded the wound. "We ran into Sasuke."

Sakura's eyes widened and she turned to Katie, who was standing on the other side of Sai. He was facing Katie as Sakura was trying to get the top half of his uniform off in order to heal the wound on his back.

"I was afraid of that," Sakura said in a sad tone with a volume a little louder than a whisper.

Katie glared at her. "Why? Why does Sasuke have to be such an ass? Doesn't he know that Sai is just as confused as he is about all this?"

Sai grabbed Katie's hand and pulled her down so that he could tell her directly in the face, "He doesn't care in the slightest, and if you upset Ugly and she punches me, I will come after you."

Katie smiled. "You promise?" She stared right into his ebony eyes and didn't flinch.

He stared right back. He understood her game finally. "Or… I will just ignore you."

Katie gasped. She shrugged out of his hold and stood straight up. "Sorry Sakura. I didn't mean to say anything bad about Sasuke."

Sakura nodded. She was already busy healing Sai's wounds. "I'll talk to him, Sai. I'm sorry that your birthday had to end up this way."

He couldn't see her, but he knew that Sakura felt bad about his confrontation with her boyfriend. Sai turned his head slightly so that he could address her. "Honestly, Sakura, I hadn't expected it to happen any differently. "

Katie opened her mouth, but before she could utter a word, Tsunade suddenly appeared at the doorway. She stood there with her arms crossed against her well-endowed chest, and had a very frustrated look on her face.

"Katie."

Katie cowered a little. Sai looked at her, and couldn't believe the difference in her stance from just a few moments ago. Evidently Tsunade was the only person that actually scared her.

"Tsunade-sama," Katie said as she bowed her head, and her focus shifted to the floor.

Tsunade lowered her arms and balled her hands into fists. "How am I supposed to keep you hidden if you insist on causing trouble all over the village?"

Katie slowly raised her eyes to look directly at Tsunade. "B-but, I-I don't want to be hidden anymore." She started to sound more like Hinata than her usual defiant self.

A smirk grew onto Tsunade's lips. "Is that so? Well, how does a caged bird seal sound to you?"

* * *

**Dun da da ... Little Miss Katie has some secrets. It will be fun to find out what they are. For me too. I am coming up with this as I go along. This was supposed to be a one shot! I have major points that I want to write about, but the rest is coming to me over time. So I am as excited as you are with some of the twists that are coming about.**

**Katie is from my novel, _Indulgence_. Please see main page for link.**

**I love, love, LOVE reviews! :)**


	3. I Won't Leave You

**Here we go! We are going to get to hear a little more about Katie. But not a lot ... These things take time, you know. It looks like this story will now be about 16 chapters, if I plotted it right. So a lot more secrets are in store!**

**Thank you very much to my betas, ReiraKurenai and Doll-Fin-Chick. The two of them have been sticking by me through this adventure, and I really appreciate it! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden or any of their characters. But Sai will be Katie's. And he's going to like it! ;)**

* * *

_**I Won't Leave You**_

Katie hid behind Sai, but since he was lying on a gurney, it didn't help her one little bit.

"I can still see you, Katie. Get up!" Tsunade commanded.

Katie slowly stood up, but refused to look Tsunade in the eyes.

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Well, um… you said I could meet Sai."

Tsunade huffed. "That's only because you wouldn't stop talking about him! I didn't know that you would pick a fight with his brother."

Katie tilted her head. "We didn't search him out. He found us."

Tsunade's fists were planted firmly on her hips. "But you could have kept your mouth shut! Just look at Sai. Is that what you wanted? Was that your intention when you said you wanted to meet him?"

Sai was shirtless and Sakura was using her green colored chakra to work on the burn mark on his back. Sai winced throughout the process.

"Of course not, Tsunade-sama … I … just…"

Then Katie's eyebrow quirked up. "How do you know what happened?"

Tsunade raised an open palm and a miniature Katsuyu appeared.

Katie paled. She slowly turned her head toward her shoulder. She almost jumped out of her skin when she saw an identical Katsuyu sitting there.

She quickly brushed the slug away and exclaimed, "That's not fair, Tsunade-sama. You said I could go out by myself!"

Tsunade's lips turned upwards slightly. "You did go out by yourself. I just needed to know what you were up to, in case you got out of control." Tsunade stared at her. "And you did."

Katie turned away from her and groaned out loud.

"Besides, I don't need two of my best shinobi fighting, especially the two remaining Uchihas. They would kill each other."

"Sasuke would never kill Sai! I wouldn't allow it!" Katie faced Tsunade with a defiant expression.

Tsunade took a couple of steps into the room. "But you would allow him to wound Sai. That is blatantly obvious."

Katie's lower lip started quivering. Sai noticed that her violet eyes were getting glassy, and moisture was forming in the corners of them. But Sai could also tell that she was fighting hard to make sure that the tears did not escape. Deep down inside, he already knew that she felt bad about what happened. And Tsunade's scolding only made it worse.

"Excuse me, Tsunade-shishou." Sakura asked as she turned to her master. Sai was all healed, and he started to roll off the wheeled stretcher toward Katie. "What did you mean about the caged bird seal? That seal is only used on Hyuugas."

Tsunade turned slightly and closed the door. Then she faced the three others in the room and whispered, "Precisely."

Sai peered down at Katie as he put his shirt back on. Her violet eyes had pupils. She didn't look like the normal Hyuuga.

"Let me introduce… Kaede Hyuuga," Tsunade said as she waved her hand toward Katie.

"Hyuuga?" Sai asked.

He didn't say anything else. He was confused. Today, he found out he was an Uchiha. And the one that gave him that news is suddenly a Hyuuga? How could a member of the Hyuuga clan fly under the radar like that?

Since Sai was as stoic as ever, and Katie's cheeks were burning crimson, Sakura asked, "But Shishou, if Katie is a Hyuuga, where is her Byakugan?"

"Hm… she has it, but hers is a mutation." Tsunade made her way closer to Katie. "She's only half Hyuuga."

Katie was getting more and more uncomfortable. Her violet eyes were desperately trying to find an escape route. But Tsunade was right next to her now. Between Tsunade, and Sai standing on Katie's other side, she wouldn't get very far.

"So the Hyuugas don't know? That's why she doesn't have the caged bird seal?" Sakura asked as she stripped the sheets from the gurney's mattress.

"That's right. Once her mother, Himiko, discovered she was pregnant, she left the village immediately."

"A single mother…" Sai uttered under his breath. Katie acknowledged him with her sad eyes.

At that moment, Naruto burst through the door. "Sai!"

Katie jumped at the sudden intrusion, and Sai shielded her from the impetuous blond.

"Naruto! The door was closed for a reason," Tsunade reprimanded.

Sakura looked like she was going to deck him, but then Hinata appeared next to Naruto. Naruto immediately sighed in relief. He knew that Sakura felt the need to act more polite in front of the Hyuuga heiress. Besides, Hinata looked shy, but if Sakura laid a hand on her boyfriend, Sakura would probably end up being the one laying on the floor instead.

Sai looked at Hinata, and then back to Katie behind him. There wasn't a lot of similarity between the two. Well… besides their chest size, that is. Hinata's hair was blueish-black, and Katie's was chestnut brown. Hinata's eyes were lilac-colored and didn't have pupils. Katie's were violet and she did have pupils like everyone else.

Then, their demeanor couldn't be more different. Hinata was a lady. She couldn't offend anyone if she tried. And she certainly didn't act around Naruto the way Katie acted around Sai. Hinata was quieter, and Katie was more outspoken.

And finally … Hinata was totally oblivious to the fact that the two of them were related.

_How did Tsunade and Katie keep this secret for so long? Katie said her mother passed away a few years back._

Hinata wrapped her delicate fingers around the muscles of Naruto's right arm. It was like she drew strength from him, but it was also such a tender move on her part. And it seemed to make Naruto feel more at ease.

It sparked a memory for Sai.

_That's how Katie was holding my arm when I first saw the picture of Shin. Is it instinctive for the Hyuuga women to hold their boyfriends like that?_

Sai then looked back at Katie. She was fidgeting and looking down at the ground.

_One Hyuuga is standing confident next to her man. And the other is almost broken. I wish I could help her through this. But how? What do I know about human emotions and how to make someone feel better? Especially a woman._

"Sasuke told me what happened!" Naruto's loud voice snapped Sai from his thoughts.

"Oh, not to worry, Naruto-kun," Sai said as he grasped Katie's hand. "I'm all better now, thanks to Sakura." He flashed his famous fake smile at the pinkette.

Katie looked at his hand and then looked straight into his obsidian orbs. Her eyes communicated more than she could possibly say. She was totally uncomfortable after their conversation, and now she was face to face with a cousin that shouldn't know of her existence.

Sai looked back toward Naruto. "So Katie and I were just leaving." He led Katie by the hand and wove around everyone in the room on his way to the door.

Tsunade wasn't having that though. "Where are you two going?"

"If it would be okay, I thought I would walk Katie home," Sai answered, with the fake smile still plastered on his face.

"And I would like it if Katsuyu didn't come along," Katie struggled out.

"Hmpf… I don't know. You seem to cause trouble every time you step out the door."

"I will take her straight home. I promise, Tsunade-sama," Sai assured.

Tsunade addressed Sai. "You, I trust." Then she turned to Katie. "_You, _I don't."

Katie's eyes focused on Hinata for a split second before she bowed to Tsunade. A few moments later, she and Sai quietly left the room.

"You didn't have to leave your friends," Katie whispered to Sai as they walked through the white hallways of the hospital.

"I didn't want you to feel anxious." Sai squeezed her hand slightly. "And I don't want to see your forehead adorned with the caged bird seal. I like it the way it is."

Katie smiled. "Me too."

"I really don't think you have to worry about Hinata. She's very kind. I don't think she would do anything to hurt you."

"It's not her I'm afraid of." Katie sighed. "It's her father. And I'm not sure I can trust her not to tell him."

"Are your eyes really like the Byakugan?" Sai asked as they exited the hospital.

"How do you think I've been seeing you all this time?" Katie responded with a smirk.

Then Sai gasped. "You have the ability to make yourself invisible, and you can see through walls, among other things."

"Mmhmm." Katie confirmed.

"You're every man's nightmare," Sai said without inflection.

Katie giggled. "Only yours."

"And when you commented on the size of my penis?"

Katie laughed out loud. "It wasn't a guess."

Sai instantly dropped her hand. But now he needed her to show him how to get to her place. He stood there for a second, and then she reached for his arm again to lead him.

"If it's a real problem for you, I will show you my goodies later."

Sai's head was spinning. _Oh God. What am I still doing with this girl?_

But … against his better judgment … he was still being led to her apartment.

He followed her to a very nice part of town. They stopped in front of a three-story, white stucco building.

Sai raised his hand and started to wave. "I guess I'll see you around."

"The hell you will. I at least owe you dinner."

"I would like to eat in peace, without you killing me."

Katie motioned her arm through the entrance of her building. "Look! Sasuke isn't in here. No danger this time."

"I meant your cooking." Sai said in his usual monotone.

"I'm a great cook." Katie declared defiantly.

"Or your racy behavior."

"I'll let you eat first." She grabbed his hand again and led him up to the third floor.

She had an expensive looking apartment. Better than anything the normal ninja could afford on their salary. And Katie worked in the file room.

_What the hell? _

Sai usually didn't judge menial things such as this. But ninjas sacrifice their life everyday for the village. And Tsunade put this girl up in an apartment like this? It just didn't make a whole lot of sense.

"Do you have a preference on what I should make?" Katie asked as she opened up her stainless steel refrigerator.

"Something that won't send me back to the hospital." Sai deadpanned as he sat down at her round kitchen table. Her kitchen was big enough that it had room for it and all of her fancy appliances.

"I have you in my apartment. Why would I risk sending you anywhere?" She smiled as she brought out some containers with rice and barbeque pork.

She quickly went to work and heated up the items on her ceramic-top stove. Sai noticed that she seemed to know what she was doing.

_And her butt looks pretty cute in that mini-skirt._

_Oh, holy hell. Stop thinking of the peeping-tom female in front of you like she's an item on the menu! Has all the Root training just flown out the window?_

It didn't take long before she placed a heaping plate of food in front of Sai.

He tasted it, and yes, it seemed like she was a good cook.

"Do you like it?" Her eyes flashed at him.

"Mmhmm." Then he looked over at her. She had her head propped up on her hand and she wasn't eating a thing.

"Aren't you eating?" He asked.

"Nope. I'm just enjoying the view."

He choked.

"Oh my God. Let me get you something to drink." She ran over to the sink and quickly got a glass of water.

When she sat back down, Sai nodded and struggled out. "Thank you. Now can you stop saying things like that while I'm eating? I knew you would kill me."

She gave a feigned surprised expression. "What did I say? I just said that I was enjoying the view."

"Yeah, but I know what you enjoy seeing, and your Byakugan makes it possible for you to see it."

Katie giggled. "Byakugan. Best doujutsu EVER!"

"Do the veins in your temples bulge when you use the Byakugan?"

"Nope. That's part of the mutation. I can use the Byakugan without having to activate it. It's another way that I've hidden the fact that I'm a Hyuuga."

"That's fantastic. So there are no telltale signs of when you are using it?"

"None."

"Can I finish my food without worrying about you using the Byakugan to undress me right at the table?" Sai asked flatly with his usual blank expression.

"I can go in the other room and do the exact same thing."

"I'm aware of that."

"So why don't I do that?"

"Fine. It will help me digest better." Sai took another bite of his dinner

"Fine. I will set up the bed."

"The bed?" Sai said through his full mouth, spitting out food in the process.

"Of course. You just got out of the hospital. I need to take care of you."

"Take care of me?" In Sai's mind, he envisioned all kinds of dirty scenarios in which she could take care of him. But none of them included tending to his wounds.

"No need." Sai stood up. "You will kill me. You are more vicious than any kunoichi I have ever met."

Katie's lips turned upwards. "Aww… but Sai. I can be very gentle."

_I bet she could._

"And… you can scare the shit out of Sasuke on a bad day. No thank you."

_Don't be an imbecile. Take her up on her offer and stop being a pussy._

Sai headed for Katie's door, but then he noticed a picture on her wall next to the doorway. It was a woman, in her twenties. She had black hair, and the trademark Hyuuga eyes.

Sai's ungloved index finger traced the frame. He looked behind him, and Katie was there.

"Speaking of frames, here's yours. I protected it when Sasuke came around." Katie handed him the brown paper wrapped gift.

Sai accepted the package. He thought about Shin's picture, and then gazed at the picture of Katie's mom. Sai realized that this memory was as important to her as his memory of his beloved brother.

"She was beautiful." Sai commented.

"She is dead." Katie turned on her heel and headed toward her bedroom.

That was an unexpected reaction. Out of all of Sai's books, he had never read of a response quite like that.

Of course she was dead. He knew that. But why would Katie say something like that so abruptly? Sai didn't show pictures of his brother and say he's dead right off the bat. Normally, he would think that she would thank him for the compliment. It just didn't make sense.

Sai eyed the front door of her apartment. Then he heard her bedroom door close. Logically, he knew that he should leave. He would see her again. That was certain. But should he leave her after everything that happened?

Besides, what did he have waiting for him at home? As weird as she was, she was still quite entertaining. And she did seem to care about him a lot, in her own unique way. And she was right. Kunai didn't seem to be flying from the walls of her apartment. So he should be reasonably safe.

Maybe he should just find out about the picture. It was an abrupt statement. At least he should satisfy his curiosity about that before he leaves.

_Yeah right, that's the real reason, you sly dog! An attractive girl who can cook wants to take advantage of you, and now you are headed to her bedroom. I'm sure that her tits and ass had nothing to do with this decision. Logic and training have completely left the building._

Sai gently placed his frame on the table beside the front door of her apartment. He could pick it up on his way out.

Then, he slowly approached her pink bedroom door and gently knocked.

"What is it, Sai?"

"Are you okay?"

"Do you care?"

Sai exhaled sharply. _Women are frustrating! Those books were so right! _"If I didn't care, why would I ask?"

The bedroom door slowly opened to reveal Katie in a black lingerie that barely covered her ass. But that didn't grab his attention as much as her nipples that were pointed straight at him.

_I guess she doesn't wear a bra to bed._

Sai gulped. _Bad Idea. Alert! Alert! Retreat now. _"So… your mother's dead."

Katie gave him a sharp glance. "I think we've established that." She walked over and sat at the side of her bed and crossed her legs.

"Would you like to expand on that a little?" Sai asked. But he continued to stand at the doorway.

She looked up at him with heavy-lidded eyes. "No."

"Oh, okay. I just wanted to make sure you were alright." He turned on his heel, but before he could take a single step, Katie was behind him with her voluptuous chest pressed up against his back.

"I'm sorry. Don't leave." Her hands were reaching across his abdomen. "I just don't like to talk about her. It's painful."

Sai grasped one of her hands and turned around to face her. "Katie, I don't know what you want from me. You are so open physically to a relationship, but you are so shut down emotionally. And believe me, I should know all about that. But I read that people share stories like this with their friends. We are friends, right?"

"I'd like to be more than that." Katie said, as she looked him directly in the eyes.

"Then let's talk. We'll start with that." Sai led her by the hand to return to her original position of sitting on the side of her bed.

"You start." Katie flashed him a small smile.

"No, you have clearly read up on me. I don't think I have any more secrets. How about you?"

"Nope. No Secrets. I guess we're done!" Katie wrapped her arm around his back.

Sai gave her a stern look. "How did your mom die?"

Katie's arm suddenly dropped to the bed.

"That's it. That's the secret. Am I correct?"

Katie turned away from him.

_Talking seems to mean nothing to this girl. But physical affection does…_

_And Hinata sure looked confident and safe next to Naruto. She always does. Do women feel safe in the presence of the men they care about?_

Sai hesitantly wrapped his arm around her waist and brought her close to him. He could feel her sink into his embrace. He nuzzled the top of her head with his chin. "You are safe with me. Don't worry. But I do want to know what's bothering you. This is how people are supposed to get to know one another. The good, the bad and the ugly, right?"

Katie turned her head to face him. "Unfortunately, with me, you get mostly ugly."

Sai squeezed her tighter. "How can you say that? You know about my past."

Katie stared into his eyes, but didn't say a word.

"People think I'm a fool when it comes to emotions. But I have been observing my friends for a while. I think I can tell if someone is in pain."

Katie then tried to break free from his grasp, but he didn't let her. She did manage to avert her face from his eyes.

"I have been alone. I have experienced loss. Is there something else that is greater that I don't know about?"

He couldn't see her face, but her breathing was becoming uneven. So he gently cupped her chin to bring her face to face with him again. Then he saw the tears streaming down.

Sai couldn't take it any longer. He didn't want to see her in so much pain. Maybe they would talk about it another day. He turned her around so that they were in a full embrace. Her head was lying on his shoulder.

And that's when he heard it.

"She hung herself." It was only a whisper. But since her lips were inches away from his ear, he heard it like there wasn't another sound in the world.

Sai's eyes opened wide, not that she could see it. They were still locked in the embrace. But he was frozen solid. He couldn't even imagine the pain that she must have felt. He didn't know if he wanted to hear anymore. He thought he was helping, but maybe he really didn't understand relationships, and he should just back off.

Katie pulled away and wiped a tear with the back of her hand. Her mascara was smearing underneath her eyes. "She was sick… she had incurable cancer. So she had a choice. It was either: go back to Konoha and get treatment for a while, or end her life immediately."

She wiped a tear from the other eye. "So I came home one day from the market and found her."

Sai was still frozen. How does one react to news like this? He had no idea.

"She was all I ever had. And she left me. No note – nothing."

Sai felt a similar loss when Shin died. He didn't even know he was sick. And suddenly, he was gone.

Sai cleared his throat. "I… I won't leave you."

Katie looked up at him, with a perplexed look on her face.

"I've been in the darkness. I know what it feels like. I don't want you to bear it alone."

More tears. Sai was hoping that would make her stop crying. His lack of relationship skills was killing him at the moment.

Sai shook his head. "Let me ask you something. Why are you so interested in sex? Is it the connection, or the fear that a man will leave you without it?"

Katie choked, but didn't answer.

"Because I like you, either way. So I don't know why you are pushing it."

Katie shifted her position so that her head caressed his firm pectoral muscle. "I've never met a man like you."

Sai smiled his fake smile. "That's probably a good thing."

Katie nuzzled her face against his chest. "You're not a fool. You are quite observant."

"What do I have to do besides observe? I'm an artist after all. Noticing details is my job."

Katie looked up and stroked his hair. "I'm good at noticing things too. And you are beautiful, inside and out."

Her touch tickled his neck. But it was a pleasant feeling. He looked over at the clock, and it was 10 P.M. It was getting late for him to stay in her apartment.

"I'd better get going," he said as he stroked her hair. It was pleasant when she did it, so he thought he would return the favor.

She reached out for his hand and placed it against her cheek. "You just said you wouldn't leave."

"I meant not leave for good. I didn't mean we were going to be Siamese twins." He said with a smile.

"Stay tonight. I promise I won't bother you. I have a queen-sized bed."

Sai looked around. She did, indeed, have a queen-sized bed. Why … she had a bed made for two… made his head spin. But the comforter was cream with pink flowers and her bedroom was painted pink.

"This room wasn't furnished with a man in mind, was it?"

Katie brought his hand from her cheek to her lips and gently kissed his palm. "Those things could always be changed. Please stay with me." She looked up into his eyes with a wide-eyed expression, and she gently bit her bottom lip.

The sensation of her full lips brushing against his hand had sent shivers up his spine. And watching her bite that same lip afterwards was sending his senses into overdrive.

_She is clearly winning this game. _He momentarily eyed her bedroom door. _A trained shinobi should know better than to get cornered in a half-naked girl's room._

_Hormones – logic. Hormones – logic. _He exhaled sharply. _Oh, what the hell. You only live once._

Sai pulled his hand away slowly and lay down on the bed. He lay flat on his back, spread out his arms and legs, and squeezed his eyes shut, like a man waiting to be tortured.

"What are you doing?" Katie asked. His long body stretched out over the entire bed.

"Waiting."

"For what?"

"I don't know."

Katie laughed. She kissed him on the nose and then lay down by his side. His arm was beneath her neck, but she was turned away from him.

_Huh? The sex maniac is not raping me? What gives?_

Sai turned toward Katie. "You are seriously going to sleep after all that?"

Katie giggled. "You convinced me. There will be another day."

Sai breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm waiting for you to beg me first."

Sai brought his other arm around her and brought her close. She was warm and her hair smelled like lilac.

And … her silk covered butt was against his crotch again. Just like when he first met her.

_The begging may commence sooner than she thinks!_

Resting against her gave him a feeling like he had never experienced before. He remembered seeing Naruto and Hinata. The two of them fed off one another. They were happy, confident and strong when they were side by side. And it got to the point that when one was without the other, it looked like something was definitely missing, both in their demeanor and their way of holding themselves. They were two halves of one whole now.

_Do all the Hyuuga women have that type of influence over men?_

Katie was soft, unlike any cushion or pillow that he had ever felt. And the warmth that she sent through his body, simply by their connection, was taking over his senses.

She really cared for him. This was a first for any female that he ever met. And it made him feel secure.

He wasn't alone. And he didn't want her to feel alone either. He would help her work out her feelings for her mother. He wouldn't let her deal with this on her own.

Despite himself, he fell asleep. It was one of the deepest sleeps he had ever experienced. He felt safe and happy at the same time. And oh so warm.

* * *

Sai heard a slap, and then what sounded like a body crashing to the ground. Is this a dream? He felt around for where Katie should be. The bed was still warm, but her body was no longer there. He opened his eyes, and then shut them again. This must be a dream.

"Sai!" Katie shouted out as she attempted to reach out to him. But Takeshi Oshiro had her secured from behind by her elbows. There was a prominent red mark across her cheek in the shape of a hand.

Sai noticed a shadow cast across the top half of the bed. He didn't want to look up. Only one person would be accompanying Takeshi, Danzo's second hand man.

Katie was in trouble either way. So Sai slowly gazed up the familiar dark gray robe. He was used to seeing this man while he was on bended knee.

The unconcealed edo-tensei'd eye glared down at him.

Sai uttered out in disbelief, "Danzo-sama."

* * *

**Things are going to go a little quicker from here on out. We have a lot of ground to cover. So please hang on for the ride! **

**Katie is from my novel, _Indulgence_. Please see main page for link.**

**Please review! It makes a writer's heart happy!**


	4. Danzo

**As I said before, this chapter has a little more action in it. So I hope you enjoy it! :)**

**Thank you very much to my beta, ReiraKurenai. How she finds the time and patience to help me with my story - well - she is just amazing!**

_******Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden or any of their characters. But Katie is working with Kishimoto-sensei now. Sai will be ours! lol**_

* * *

_**Danzo**_

"You have greatly disappointed me," Danzo said, with his usual authoritative manner.

Sai looked over at Katie struggling in Takeshi's arms. The 62-year-old hadn't changed a bit since Sai last saw him. His wiry gray hair was sticking up like Naruto's, and the purple tattoo marks on his cheeks were drooping due to his increased wrinkly appearance. But he was strong. At 6-foot-tall, he stood straight and towered over the much shorter female. Even though Katie tried with all her might, she couldn't escape his iron claw grip.

Then his focus returned to Danzo.

Sai was still lying in the bed, but now, he was wide awake. So he scrambled off the side and knelt down in front of the Root leader. He bowed his head, like he used to do when he addressed Danzo, and he made sure not to look him directly in the eye.

"My apologies, Danzo-sama. My actions have been regrettable since your death."

"To say the least." Danzo gestured toward Katie. "Is this what you do when you're not under supervision?"

Sai gazed over at Katie again. She looked miserable. But arguing with Danzo would only make matters worse.

And she was still wearing her skimpy lingerie. Sai felt bad for her. She wasn't prepared to share her "goodies" with two creepy old guys from Root.

_Or maybe she was? She's a weird one._

"Danzo-sama, I just met her yesterday. We haven't done this before."

"Well, you're nothing, if not efficient. You don't waste time, do you?"

Sai was taken aback. It was slightly embarrassing to try and explain his sex life to Danzo. Or … the lack thereof…

He still didn't look up at Danzo. "It isn't as it appears, Danzo-sama."

Danzo grunted. "It isn't? Then enlighten me. What is going on between you and this girl?"

"I care about her, Danzo-sama. I like spending time with her." Sai looked over at Katie, who stopped struggling momentarily to flash him a quick smile.

"Well, that's good. Because I have a proposition for you."

"Proposition?" That was out of the ordinary. It made Sai tilt his head up so that he could look at Danzo's creepy, zombified eye. Then he looked over at Takeshi for confirmation. Danzo's right hand man nodded at Sai.

"You've never made it up to me for failing your last mission under my command."

Sai looked at his former master. The zombie before him, who was once the most feared ruler in Konoha, was still concerned about his one failed mission?

"Danzo-sama, are you referring to my mission to eliminate Sasuke?"

"Yes, I am."

Sai glanced over at Katie, and wondered why she was being punished for this too. "I don't understand. How can I make it up to you?"

Danzo glared at Sai. "By completing the mission."

Katie gasped. "Sai!" But then Takeshi let go of her arms long enough to grab her by the neck and put her in a chokehold. She flailed around for a few seconds before losing consciousness. Then, without a shred of mercy, he let her limp body crash to the floor.

Sai desperately wanted to save her. He wanted to call out to her. But he knew that it would end up endangering her life. Takeshi could have killed her as easily as rendering her unconscious. He was using restraint, and Sai didn't comprehend exactly why.

Sai turned his sad eyes back to Danzo. "Why? Why me? You knew he was my brother all this time." Sai exhaled sharply. "Is this another test, Danzo-sama? Must I always destroy the ones I care about?"

Danzo smirked down at him. "Rise, _Sai. _You do like that name, don't you?"

Sai stood up. "I do. It's my real name after all."

"You have grown up. And having grown up, you should realize the responsibility that you have to Konoha."

Side by side, Danzo didn't seem as intimidating as he once did. Danzo was 5'7. Sai was 5'8. He had outgrown his master in height by a small margin. Sai stood firm and looked him directly in the eye.

"And the Uchiha must be eliminated."

"I'm an Uchiha," Sai declared.

"_You _are a member of Root. You have no name."

"But I do." Sai stepped toward Danzo, but then Takeshi was instantly by Danzo's side as well. "And I'm done with Root. I've moved on."

Danzo raised his eyebrows for a second, but then his face relaxed into its normal frown. "I was afraid you would say that. Takeshi."

The gray haired man went back and picked Katie up like a ragdoll. He held her by the waist, and let her limp legs and arms hang toward the floor.

"As I said at the beginning, this is a proposition. You have a choice. Either the Uchiha dies…" At that moment Takeshi flickered out with Katie still in his arms. "Or the girl that you care about."

Sai was speechless and frozen. He could hardly process what Danzo was saying.

Danzo turned away from Sai. "If I were you, I would pick the girl. The Uchiha won't keep you warm at night."

"Danzo-sama," Sai struggled out. He wanted to plead with him. But he also knew that it would be of little use.

"Don't take too long with your decision." And then, Danzo was gone.

* * *

Katie woke up in a dark, dank cell. It was barely bright enough for her to see her hands in front of her face.

There was a small window, about a square foot, with bars on it, at the right corner of the 10 foot by 12 foot holding area. It looked like it was nighttime, but she couldn't be sure, because she didn't know how long she had been out. She assumed that it wasn't that long.

The floor beneath her was made of uneven cement. The walls were made of gray-colored, hardened clay. And there was a side that was made solely of floor-to-ceiling bars that separated it from the hallway that connected the facing row of cells.

_Sai! Where's Sai? I have to find him! _

Katie started scanning through the walls to see if he was in any of the cells next to her. One by one, she looked at twenty different cells. They were all empty.

_Shit! The last thing I heard was that he was getting sent out to kill Sasuke. I have to find him!_

Katie extended her byakugan, just past the hallway of cells, into an antechamber that had several members of Root standing at attention. Suddenly they started parting ways so that the doorway was unblocked.

And then she saw him.

_Zombie-sama! I'd better pretend that I can't see him. _Katie quickly spun around and pretended to be interested in the opposite blank wall.

She could hear his cane clank slowly, and methodically, closer and closer to her. When he finally appeared on the other side of the bars in front of her, she turned her head to glare at him.

In his hands was a neatly folded set of clothes. She gave him a curious look, and in response he said, "I don't need you defiling any more of my men, like you did to Sai."

Katie looked down, and indeed, she was still wearing the short black-silk nighty with matching panties. Of course, she was lying on an uncomfortable cement floor. Her clothes were the least of her concerns.

She stood up, so that Danzo could hand her the pile of black and gray clothing through the bars. "Why thanks, you old dick."

Danzo didn't move. He just gave her a pointed glance with his one visible eye.

"_-tator_." Katie finished.

Danzo nodded. "I recommend that you hold your tongue. The only value your life contains is as a bargaining chip. It would behoove you to remember that."

_A bargaining chip? So that's why…_

She looked him straight in the eye. "I may not be a ninja. But I'm not a fool. You'll kill me anyway, right?"

Danzo smirked. "I have to hand it to my young student. He picked one with brains after all." Then he turned and started making his way back down the hallway.

Katie looked at the clothes that Danzo handed her. It was the typical Root uniform, with the standard midriff shirt.

_I don't know why he even bothered. _Katie shook her head. _That shirt isn't even big enough to cover my boobs._

The annoying _clank, clank, clank _of his cane against the cement was driving her insane. The squeak of the door at the end of the hallway, opening and closing, was a welcome sound.

She stared down at the closed door and then watched him pass through the row of men again on the other side. She didn't know where he was going. And she really didn't care. But she didn't see Sai anywhere in that direction.

As a matter of fact, she didn't see the tall, gray-haired prick either. Maybe he has Sai somewhere?

_I have to get out of here. I can't have Sai complete that mission for my sake._

She turned her attention back to the clothes she was given. The shirt wouldn't work, but the jacket, pants and shoes may come in handy. _I could wear these around my nighty. It would look weird, but it might help if I have to fight one of these bastards._

_But flashing them some boob might help me win the fight! Yep, that's another option. Except … they are all probably a bunch of virgins! What did Danzo do to these poor men? He's the reason that a hot guy like Sai doesn't know what to do with a girl!_

Katie leaned on the prison wall, so that she could balance while pulling up the rather tight pants. _These things weren't made to accommodate a female's butt either. _She sucked in her gut so that she could fasten it. _Only a skinny guy like Sai is built to fit into this shit!_

Katie glared at the closed door at the end of the hall. _Has he ever seen a female before? _She shook her head. _If Danzo had gotten laid, just once, then maybe he wouldn't have gone around torturing young boys like he did!_

She slipped the sandals on and placed her arms through the jacket. Then she scanned the area, 360 degrees around her. There were men on the other side of the antechamber, but no one outside of the building.

_That senile old goat. Did he really think that this cell would contain me? _She scanned the outside wall and didn't see any chakra lining. _Clearly, this cell was made for civilians, because the normal ninja would easily blow through this shack!_

She placed her palm firmly against the wall that led to the outside. It melted into lava at the point of contact. She kept her hand at the same place until a hole large enough for her to fit through was created. She stepped out onto the wood paneled walkway, and shimmered out of sight by activating her invisibility cloak.

It appeared that this place was underground. There was light, but barely. She looked up to what should be the sky, but instead it appeared to be a cement ceiling. Big metal pipes connected the maze of buildings, presumably to carry oxygen instead of water. She quickly made it through the wooden walkways and scanned for Sai throughout each of the buildings as she did.

It was difficult though. Every member of Root dressed alike. And all of them were skinnier than most men, presumably from malnourishment and way too much training. She had to catch their faces, even though she was walking at a rapid rate.

_He isn't here. _She sighed. _Where could he be? He isn't out killing Sasuke, is he?_

She didn't waste time. Even though she was invisible, she was at Root headquarters. Who knew what kind of sensory ninja they had there?

She searched for the exit and found it. Five members of Root were standing there… in front of the passageway that led to the village above.

_This is why that cell was so freaking flimsy. You can escape the prison, but you will never get out of this underground sewer!_

_Shit! What do I do now? _She stared at the formation of the five men, searching for a small opening. _Even if I tried to squeeze between them, they could feel the movement. They could hear me! They could smell me! Shit!_

Then she looked back at the building closest to the entrance…

_Fire!_

She blew a fire ball toward the structure, and it quickly was engulfed in flames. As expected, the five men scrambled away from their posts to help put out the fire. They couldn't just watch and do nothing. Not only would the building be destroyed, but the fire would most likely suck out any oxygen that the underground fortress contained.

She watched them for a few seconds. Five men, similar to Sai, fighting to keep the Root headquarters from being destroyed. It was such a pity. To Katie, it seemed like a total waste of their time and effort to save this hellhole.

Katie nicely strolled up to the unprotected exit and placed her palm against the thick wooden door. In a matter of seconds, it melted away in front of her. She stepped over the smoldering heap and ascended the staircase to Konoha above.

She felt somewhat remorseful about reducing Root headquarters to what looked like a war zone. But it was Root, the same place that threatened to steal Sai's humanity when he was younger. And the same place that was forcing Sai to choose between his friend and his family, which could possibly cost him his sanity as well.

Was that it? Who was the real target in Danzo's demented game? Was it Sasuke for killing him, or was it Sai for leaving him and Root behind? Maybe it was both. Two Uchihas for the price of one. Danzo's plan of eliminating the family would finally be realized.

Katie took a deep breath of fresh air when she finally emerged from the tunnel. But she looked back and thought of the young men inside. She would love to burn that place to the ground and set each and every one of them free.

And … send Danzo back to the afterlife.

How did he find Sai in her apartment anyway? Sai had never been there before.

Unless, Katie and Sai were being followed. Again.

_First Katsuyu, now creepy Danzo. When in the hell will Sai and I ever be given any privacy?_

_Speaking of which… _ Katie started running as quickly as she could to Sai's apartment. He wouldn't still be at hers. That's for sure. She also quickly scanned to her right and left as she went in hopes of finding a trace of that black and gray uniform of his.

_Ninja training would have been good. Jumping from tree to tree definitely has its advantages at times like these._

At least she was still invisible so that she didn't look like an idiot running around town. But she had to dodge other people as she made her way around. It wasn't like they could see her to avoid running into her.

Through each and every building she passed, she searched every room for his ebony colored hair and pale white skin, even the residential buildings. And then … _Yikes! My eyes! Some things were not meant to be seen. Ever! Maybe the Byakugan does have its downsides._

_People can be pretty scary when they think no one is looking. _Katie rubbed her eyes almost raw to try to get some of those images out of her mind.

After that, she decided to just rush to Sai's apartment. If he wasn't there, then at least maybe she could get some clues as to where he could be.

When she finally made it to Sai's apartment, the door was locked. She tugged on it, but of course, it wouldn't budge. _What can you expect from a former Root member? It's locked up just as tight as that underground fortress was._

_Was…_

_Hmm… torch the door – upset Sai. _She turned her focus toward his front-facing window. _Torch the window – yep – would still upset Sai. Decisions… Decisions…_

Then a hand grabbed her shoulder. She almost jumped to the ceiling like a scared cat. When she settled down, she turned to look over her shoulder.

The sight didn't comfort her at all.

"Kakashi."

"Why hello, Katie," he said without raising his eye from his favorite Icha Icha book. "Burned down any good Root buildings lately?"

"Wasn't me."

"For some reason, I don't believe you."

Katie huffed. "How can you even see me?" She slowly shimmered into sight.

Kakashi's one visible eye creased, showing a bit of a smile through the mask. "You stink of smoke, you just yanked at Sai's door, causing all kinds of noise, and your invisibility cloak is good, but not quite as good as…" And then he stopped mid-sentence.

"As good as whose?" Katie glared at him.

"As good as you think it is."

"Nice save."

"Nevermind. Tsunade requested your presence right away."

"No time. I have to find Sai." Katie turned to Sai's door and almost had her palm placed on it before she heard the familiar high-pitched squeaking noises.

"Chidori!"

* * *

**More Katie secrets to come. And we have to find out what Sai is up to. Stay tuned!**

**Katie is from my novel, _Indulgence_. Please see main page for link.**

**Please review! I will love you forever - and - it makes me update quicker! :)**


	5. Discovery

**This chapter is more of a transitional chapter. Next one will be more action. But ... a real fun secret is coming up!**

**Thank you very much to my beta, ReiraKurenai. She is still hanging in there with me. And I really, really appreciate it! :)**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden or any of their characters. _However - if Sai ever needs a place to stay outside of the Narutoverse, Katie and I would welcome him with open arms! **

* * *

_**Discovery**_

Katie cringed, waiting to feel the impact. But then she heard a loud thump on the ground behind her. She turned quickly and saw a large, black-clad ninja lying on the ground between her and Kakashi.

"Phew! I thought you were going to hit me with the chidori again."

"I was," he said without inflection in his voice. She noticed that at some point he had been able to put his dirty book away.

She glanced at the dead ninja lying at her feet. "I'm really lucky he got in the way. The chidori hurts like a bitch." She started to turn back to Sai's door, but Kakashi took her by the wrist and spun her back to face him.

"Don't you realize this isn't a game? Takeshi's men are going to kill you. You can't defend yourself against that organization."

She raised her eyebrow at him. "I did pretty well against you."

"Hm. That's only because my intent wasn't to kill you." He took his hand off her wrist. "But now, I know you. I might have changed my mind."

Katie smirked as she turned to the door. "Advise me of your decision another time. I need to locate Sai."

Again, she raised her hand to the door.

"Katie, I'm warning you. Your powers are extraordinary, but you're not a trained ninja."

"I've survived so far." Her hand was now on the door, and the area around her palm was starting to melt.

"It seems that today's _not _your lucky day. Chidori!"

* * *

"My…. This looks familiar." Tsunade said.

Kakashi brought Katie hog-tied into Tsunade's office and dropped her straight down on the floor.

"Ow! Kakashi! I'm gonna need those boobs later on." Katie cringed, face down, on the floor.

"A bra would have been helpful in this situation," Kakashi observed.

"Yeah… You old pervert. I'm surprised you noticed over that smutty book of yours."

"Excuse me." Tsunade stepped over to the bound brunette. "I thought that Sai was going to keep his eye on you this time."

"That's what I've been trying to say, Tsunade-sama. I've been telling Kakashi that I need to find Sai. He's in trouble!"

"I see. Are you sure he wasn't in the building that you torched?" Tsunade asked.

"Of course not! I was just trying to get away from those Root bastards!"

Tsunade glared down at her. "Sai is a Root bastard."

Katie huffed as she rolled to her side. "That's different." She struggled with the chakra coils a bit, but they just bit into her wrists and ankles more. "The bastards I'm referring to are after Sai and Sasuke."

That got Tsunade's attention. "Sasuke? Tell me more." The hokage leaned down to face Katie.

Katie smiled. "Untie me first."

Tsunade gave her an evil smile in return. "Not a chance." She stood up and turned away from Katie.

"That's fine." Katie rolled herself from one side to the other. "I'm going to get out of this, and then I'm going to mummify Homo-sama."

Tsunade faced Katie and quirked up her eyebrow. "Homo-sama?"

Katie smirked as she rolled back to her other side. "Oh… nobody. Forget that I mentioned it."

"Are you referring to Takeshi?" Tsunade asked.

"The tall, gray-haired prick?" Katie started snapping in the direction of her bindings, even though her teeth had no chance in hell of ever reaching them from behind her back. "No. And that one's for free."

"Hmm…" Tsunade got a chair and placed it in front of Katie. "You have my interest." She sat down and faced the angry brunette.

"The only thing I'm telling you is that I'm going to burn more buildings if YOU DON'T UNTIE ME!" Katie's turning from side to side became more rapid through her frustration.

Tsunade's eyes focused upwards toward Kakashi. "We'd better untie her before she spontaneously combusts."

Kakashi stepped over. "Mmhmm."

Katie suddenly stopped. She looked up at Tsunade. "Could that happen?"

Tsunade smirked. "You have the fire nature chakra inside you. And you are untrained."

"GET ME OUT OF HERE! Or I will take you both with me!" Katie resumed turning and struggling.

Before Tsunade could calm Katie down, the door slammed open. "Baa-chan! Danzo's – "

Naruto looked at Katie rolling on the floor. " – back." His blue eyes looked very confused as he addressed Tsunade on the chair. "What are you doing to Katie?"

Tsunade stood up, and replied, "So that's the Homo-sama that Katie was referring to."

Naruto slowly looked at Tsunade, then Kakashi, and then Katie rolling around, in a frenzy, on the floor. "Umm… Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade raised her eyebrows at hearing Naruto actually use her formal name.

Naruto swallowed. "Is that some sort of new interrogation technique that I'm not aware of?" He shook his head. "I think it's kinda mean. You didn't even allow her to wear a bra." Naruto looked uncomfortable as he gazed over at Katie.

"Naruto, don't just stand there. GET ME OUT OF THIS!" Katie screamed.

Naruto hesitantly looked at Kakashi for approval. Kakashi nodded toward his student. "Just don't touch her hands. She'll burn you alive."

"Burn me?" Naruto stepped back. "Is she a ninja? Because I thought you guys said she wasn't a ninja!"

"Naruto, I need to find Sai. Please help me!" Katie begged from the floor.

"Well… about that." Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "Sai is actually out trying to find you."

At hearing that, Tsunade turned to face Naruto directly, and Kakashi took a step closer to him.

Naruto looked at the other three people in the room, and then continued, "Sai told us what happened when Danzo appeared in your bedroom, Katie. He asked Sakura to warn Sasuke that Root was after him again. Then he told me to get Tsunade to help. He said that he was headed to Root headquarters to try and find you."

Tsunade whipped her head toward Katie on the floor. "Your bedroom?" She threw her head back. "And you're dressed like that?"

"Shit! Forget that! Sai is headed toward a hornet's nest down there. Danzo will kill him for sure after what I did!" Katie's voice cracked when she uttered that last sentence.

"What did you do?" Naruto asked.

"Shit. I should have stayed where I was. He was coming for me." She started to cry.

Naruto stepped over to her and helped her with releasing the chakra coils. "Don't worry, Katie. Sai will understand."

She shook her head. "Not if they capture him." One of her arms was free, and she wrapped it around Naruto. "I can't believe that I've put him in this much danger."

Naruto looked up toward Tsunade while he continued to free Katie from her bindings, not knowing what to do or say to make Katie feel better. Tsunade pulled Katie up as soon as Naruto untied her feet.

"Pull yourself together, Katie. We will find Sai," Tsunade assured.

Tsunade addressed Kakashi. "Get some of our own Anbu out there to find Sai. Tell him that Katie is safe, and he should return at once." Kakashi immediately flickered out of sight.

Then she looked Katie in the eyes. "Stay here. We will take care of this."

"The hell I will." Katie shimmered out of sight.

"Whoa! What happened to Katie?" Naruto asked.

Tsunade sighed as she shook her head. "She turned herself invisible, so that she can escape and find Sai herself."

"Invisible?" Naruto's eyes grew wide. "I haven't seen anyone do that since Pervy Sage used to do it to watch naked women."

Tsunade bit her lip, but didn't say anything.

Katie shimmered back into sight, right in front of Naruto. She blinked her eyes at him. "Pervy Sage?" Then she shifted her glare back to Tsunade.

"Oh, Jiraiya! I'm sorry. You've probably heard of him. He was Tsunade's teammate back in the day."

For Tsunade, there was no escape. She tried to communicate through her eyes for Naruto to stop. But of course, he didn't interpret her signals correctly.

"He was my sensei! Great guy. A little perverted though."

"I see." Katie had calmed down, and was seriously studying Naruto. "I guess he was pretty good with his fire nature jutsu?" Katie started to walk around him, like he was a specimen in need of research.

Naruto finally caught on. Tsunade was giving him the death glare, and Katie was circling him like a vulture ready for its meal.

"Um… he was famous for it," he squeaked.

Katie grabbed him by the collar. "… and …. earth nature?" She stared him in the eyes.

"Tsunade?" Naruto begged.

Tsunade placed her hands on her hips. "Katie, leave him alone."

"Why?" Katie asked without even facing Tsunade. "Why should I leave him alone, when he's the only one who's been honest with me?"

Tsunade just stood there, so Katie continued with Naruto. "Since you were his student, come with me. I need your help finding Sai."

"Katie, don't you dare leave!" Tsunade shouted.

Naruto looked from Tsunade to Katie, who still had him by the collar. "I don't mind helping you look for Sai, but what does Pervy Sage have to do with all this?"

"You'll see," Katie said as they both shimmered out of sight.

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**Is it apparent yet? :P**

**And for anyone missing Sai (and let's face it - we all miss Sai!) - he will be back in the next chapter.**

**Katie is from my novel, _Indulgence_. Please see main page for link.**

**Please review! Please review! And yes ... Please review! :)**


	6. Deleted

**A couple of our favorite characters are back!**

**Thank you very much to my beta, Doll-Fin-Chick. Thank you for such a quick response! I appreciate it!**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden or any of their characters. _But Katie is more than willing to sweep Sai off his feet! :)**

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_**Deleted**_

Katie jumped on Naruto's back and whispered in his ear, "Go!"

"Baa-chan's going to kill me," he responded out loud.

"Wouldn't be the first time. Now move before she catches us! Sai's in trouble."

Tsunade tried to grab them, reaching for where she last heard Naruto's voice. But the wind that suddenly swept her hair let her know that it was too late.

"Naruto! Don't let me get my hands on you!" She shouted toward the open window.

Naruto jumped from the orange rooftop of the Hokage residence, to the nearby blue rooftop of the lower building next to it. Katie, who had never experienced travel like this, was amazed. Naruto was so quick, that it felt like she was flying. The wind whipped through her hair, and tears came to her eyes from all the air that swirled around them.

The colors of all the different rooftops, as Naruto leaped from one to the other in a matter of seconds, were even more beautiful from this vantage point. She had always seen them from the ground level. She thought to herself that she would love to travel this way with Sai someday.

"Thank you for getting me in trouble with Baa-chan," Naruto called out, breaking Katie away from her reverie.

"Don't worry," Katie said in his ear. "I'm in trouble with her all the time."

"Yeah… and I see how well that worked out for you." He chuckled. "I can't remember the last time I was tied up like that."

"Oh, really?" Katie shifted her head toward the center of his back. It was easier to balance that way, with the air current breezing along their side. "It's happened to me pretty often since I came to Konoha."

Naruto kept hurdling toward the northwest edge of town. "No way! They finally found someone more obnoxious than me to pick on." He reached his arm underneath her legs to tuck them in as they passed by a thick tree branch. "Thank you, Katie."

"No problem," she said as she scanned their surroundings. No Sai… at least not yet. "Can you slow down a bit? I'm trying to find Sai."

"Slow down?" Naruto asked. "You can't see him from up here. And besides, I'm trying to get to Root headquarters as fast as I can."

_He doesn't know about my Byakugan. Don't blow it._

"I have good eyesight, Katie. If I see him, I'll stop. But Sai's a former Root member. Hiding in the shadows is their specialty."

_But hiding from my Byakugan is not._

"Oh, okay then. Never mind." Katie clutched onto Naruto tighter.

_Oh, this is ludicrous! I need to use my Byakugan. Sai's in trouble!_

On the next rooftop, Naruto stopped and stood dead in his tracks. "What are you not telling me?" Naruto asked.

"Please go, Naruto. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you stop."

"Katie, I'm helping you out here. Not that I mind. Sai's one of my best friends. But I want you to be honest with me." He set her down so that she was standing on her own. "What other ninja abilities do you have? I need to know so that we can devise a strategy to infiltrate Root, and get Sai out of there."

_Caged Bird Seal - Don't tell him. _

Katie stared at Naruto with her mouth open. Not that he could see.

Her silence was pissing him off. "Fine, I will find Sai on my own. I don't need you weighing me down."

Naruto started to jump off the building they were standing on. Katie could see it because she could make out his chakra signature with her Byakugan.

She started to panic. _Oh, to hell with it. Sai is more important than dodging the Caged Bird Seal. _"Byakugan!" Katie screamed as she squeezed her eyes shut. She cringed, as if Naruto would deliver the seal himself, instantly.

"W-what?" Naruto asked as he turned around.

"I have the Byakugan." She stepped up and climbed on his back once more. "I have the Byakugan, can make myself and others invisible, and I have fire and earth nature chakras. So I can use the lava release technique."

"There's no way." Naruto jumped off the building and toward the yellow-roofed one next to them. "How're you not a ninja?"

"My mother wanted to keep me hidden from Konoha, and her clan."

"And your father was okay with that?" Naruto asked.

"I never knew my father."

"Hmm," Naruto said as they reached the edge of town. "I know how that feels. I never knew who my parents were either, until recently."

"But you had… _Pervy Sage_."

"That I did! And he was great. I enjoyed my training time with him."

"I bet you did."

Suddenly, Katie's attention diverted to a small, one story building, 5 kilometers to her left. It looked strange. It was gray, and didn't have the normal, colorful rooftops like all the other buildings. She focused on it, and sure enough, the normal black and gray clad, skinny soldiers were guarding the outside of it.

"Stop!" Katie screamed.

"Wh-What? Why?" Naruto asked as he landed on the nearest tree branch.

"Head toward your left, that building looks awfully suspicious."

"But Katie, Sai was going to Root headquarters to look for you."

"Call me crazy, but something tells me he never made it."

Naruto leaped toward his left. "Sai's a very talented ninja. No one would catch him off-guard."

"But he's up against his former superiors. They already know his strengths and weaknesses."

"Hmm," Naruto grunted as he touched down on the green-roofed building beside their destination. Katie scanned the nearby structure. It was made of thick steel, so it was somewhat more difficult to scan through the endless number of small rooms inside. But at the far end, she saw it.

"He's in there, Naruto. It looks like Danzo and Takeshi are torturing him."

Naruto looked down at the entrance of the building. Three Root soldiers were stationed at the doorway.

"How are you planning to get through Danzo's men?"

"Leave that to me. Just be quiet," Katie answered.

They landed a few feet away from the Root ninja. Naruto made sure the landing was silent, and slowly let go of Katie.

"Stay here until I give you the signal," Katie whispered.

"What signal?" Naruto blurted out. But before he got his answer, Katie shimmered into sight.

When Katie appeared before them, the three men immediately reached for their tantos. But Katie didn't flinch. She winked at them and removed the Root jacket that Danzo gave her.

"It's a nice day, isn't it, boys?" She walked in front of each of the men, swinging her hips as she twirled her jacket.

One of the men cleared his throat. "Ma'am, you shouldn't be out here."

She looked him in the eye and brushed her index finger along the bottom of his chin. "And why not?"

The man looked petrified, so his two buddies closed in on either side of Katie. She was almost completely surrounded, except for behind her. She used her free hand to wave at Naruto to come forward.

All of a sudden, two of the men's heads were banged together. The remaining soldier looked around frantically. He looked down at Katie, who hadn't moved. Then, he received an upper cut to the chin that sent him flying backwards several feet.

All the men were out cold, so Naruto and Katie rushed to the door. She put her hand on the door, and it started to melt.

"What are you doing?" Naruto asked.

"Melting the door." A small hole had formed at the site near her hand.

"Too slow, stand back!"

In her haste, Katie tripped over herself on the way back, and fell on her butt.

"Rasengan!" The door flew open with a bang.

"Nice job. I thought we were trying to surprise them," Katie said as she scrambled to her feet.

"You said they were torturing Sai! Now come on!"

Katie scanned all the rooms as they ran down the long hallway. _No one._ There was no one in that building besides the three in the last room. _Very peculiar._

When they reached the doorway of the room they were looking for, Danzo was there, waiting.

"It's about time you joined us, you little tramp!" Danzo grabbed her by the arm and threw her to the floor.

She looked over, and Sai was on the floor too. He was in the fetal position, and cringing. He also had tears streaming down his face.

She tried to jump to her feet so that she could reach him, but Takeshi sent a shadow stitching over to keep her bound to the floor.

"I underestimated you once. I won't do it again," Danzo uttered.

Katie struggled against the shadow. It was almost as bad as when Kakashi hog-tied her. _You would think that I could have found a way out of this sort of thing by now._

"Naruto," Sai called out.

_Naruto? Can Sai see him, or sense him. Sai's eyes are closed._

Katie glared at Danzo. "What are you doing to him?"

Danzo's cane clanked toward her. "It's none of your concern. He is my soldier, and I will do with him as I see fit."

Katie placed her hand on the floor. "I will fucking drown you in lava, if you don't let him go!"

The ground started bubbling from her touch, until Takeshi raised her off the ground.

Danzo grabbed her face and squeezed. He squeezed so hard that she cringed from the pain. "I have no intention of letting him go… or you."

"Sakura," Sai said in a lower tone. His voice was giving out, and his tears were getting more and more frequent.

_Naruto? Sakura? What is Danzo doing to him?_

"Danzo, you freakin' termite! Kill me if you want to. But let Sai go! He doesn't deserve this." Katie started swinging herself back and forth, in an effort to break herself free.

"Sasuke," Sai breathed out as he folded his arms around himself. His crying was now audibly noticeable.

"His best friends are dying, aren't they?" Katie snapped at Danzo.

"As I said, you aren't a dumb whore, are you?" Danzo turned away from Katie. He looked over his shoulder. "He was ordered to eliminate them."

Katie stared at the back of the gruesome dictator in front of her. But she couldn't do anything about it.

"So he will lose his emotions again?"

Takeshi stepped up beside Danzo, while maintaining the shadow stitching's hold on Katie. "So that he will be the Root shinobi that we trained."

"You can't just delete all of his memories… just like that!"

Danzo chuckled under his breath. "He killed you first."

Katie swung violently toward Danzo. But just like her previous experience, she couldn't reach him and couldn't break free.

"Rasengan!" Naruto charged at Takeshi and nailed him in the chest. Katie fell to the ground with a thump as his shadow stitching quickly retreated. Takeshi's body slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"The Jinchuriki!" Danzo spat out. "Where are you?" Danzo spun around, but couldn't see Naruto.

Katie quickly crawled over to where Sai was. She infused chakra into her two front fingers and zapped him in the neck. His body bolted from the charge, but afterwards his breathing returned to normal, as his crying quickly ceased.

She lifted his head and placed it on her lap. She stroked his black hair away from his eyes. His headband was hanging lopsided to the right side, so she gently slid it off.

Danzo charged toward the pair on the floor. But then a Rasengan to the back impeded his progress. It took a few seconds for his edo tensei body to regenerate. But then he quickly turned around.

"You activated the Kyuubi chakra, didn't you?" Danzo scanned the room. "Did you think I couldn't feel it?" Danzo blew out a wind stream and Katie heard Naruto's body crash toward the opposite wall. He shouted out in pain on impact.

Danzo regained his path toward Katie. "Sai is mine. You two have no business meddling in my matters."

"But I do."

Katie whipped her head around toward the doorway. It was Kakashi. She waved her hand toward Naruto, and he appeared, Kyuubi chakra and all.

"Hatake Kakashi." Danzo looked unfazed.

"Danzo-sama, these three are now under the leadership of the Hokage. She has requested that you release them."

"Sai is my soldier. And the other two broke into my quarters. The girl set fire to my training facility. I have no interest in Tsunade's request."

"Oh, but I think you do. I offer you an exchange."

Danzo raised his one visible eyelid.

Kakashi stepped aside.

Danzo stiffened. _What could make bastard-sama look like that? _Katie focused her byakugan past the wall of the doorway.

There he was. Even though he was noticeably shorter than Kakashi, his presence could still command a room. He had such a confident stance, and his large sword protruded out over his right shoulder.

"You want me dead?" Sasuke said as he activated his Sharingan. "I feel the same way about you."

* * *

**Who wants to see Sasuke kick Danzo's ass? lol And I wasn't insulting Sasuke with the "short" joke. He is 5'6 according to the data book. Kakashi is 5'11. So a 5'11 man would be able to eclipse Sasuke, so that Danzo didn't see him at first. And Katie is on the other side of the room. I envision it that she could see Kakashi, because he had somewhat stepped inside, but she would have to see Sasuke through the wall using her Byakugan, because he hadn't entered the room yet.**

**I hadn't originally planned for Sasuke to come back so quickly. But thanks to Cheeku and Tisay (Hi guys! :) I brought back their favorite character quicker. Plus, I thought about it. Sai had Sakura warn Sasuke. Sasuke isn't the type to run. He would face off with his adversary immediately.**

**And I will come up with a good scenario of how Sai got caught. I already have some good ideas.**

**Katie is from my novel, _Indulgence_. Please see main page for link.**

**Please review! I really want to know what everyone thinks. :)**


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